As one of the core projects of IGBP and the study on global change, GCTE-Global Change and Terrestrial Ecosystems is a hot research topic for the global ecological community. Since its inception in 1980s, a series of important results have been achieved by the scientists, including Chinese scientists in the area, which significantly advances the study on global change across the world. To meet the needs for scientific, technological and socio-economic development in China, we proposed the four areas that the Chinese scientists should focus their study of global change and terrestrial ecosystems in future, including: (1) Metabolism and coupling mechanism of key life elements in terrestrial ecosystems in China; (2) Implications of terrestrial ecosystems in areas sensitive to global change and in important transects on global change; (3) Interactions between biogeochemical cycle of C, N, P, S in China and global change; and (4) Development of regional dynamic vegetation model which meets the actual needs of China.